NAA release
NAA release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 5, 2005
Contact: Paul Bergeron**(703) 518-6141 paul@naahq.org or Michael Tucker (202) 974-2360 mtucker@nmhc.org ———————————————————————— APARTMENT SECTOR CRITICIZES FEMA’S EXTENDED HOTEL PROGRAM FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS Cites Tens of Thousands of Vacant Apartments Available at Much Lower Cost to Taxpayers ———————————————————————— WASHINGTON, DC
- More than a month after Hurricane Katrina hit, hundreds of thousands of Americans remain without homes because the federal government has not taken the steps necessary to move them into the sufficient supply of vacant apartments that could house them, according to the National Apartment Association (NAA) and National Multi Housing Council (NMHC). “We are bewildered by reports published today that evacuees will be allowed to remain in motels and hotels indefinitely beyond the October 15 deadline for moving them out when there are tens of thousands of available apartments close to the disaster area that could house them for nearly half the cost,” said Jim Arbury, Senior Vice President of the NAA/NMHC Joint Legislative Program. “The average hotel/motel rate of $59 per day works out to $1770 a month, which exceeds the median cost of rental housing even in some of the nation’s most expensive housing markets.” “We are not only bewildered, but outraged,” said Arbury. “Our industry has been at the forefront of this disaster since day one,” said Arbury. “We worked with Department of Homeland Security officials to create a national clearinghouse of available apartments at www.hurricanehousing.net, yet the government has made no effort to publicize this resource to disaster relief officials or the evacuees.” “At the request of FEMA,” noted Doug Culkin, NAA Executive Vice President, ” apartment firms submitted “blocks” of apartments that owners would be willing to rent directly to FEMA. Despite daily conference calls with DHS’s private sector office, we have yet to receive any assurances that these housing units are being considered for use by evacuees.” “For example, there are an estimated 50,000 vacant apartment units in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area alone,” said Arbury. “There are even more apartments that could be made available if Congress and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would temporarily waive requirements that prevent owners of properties that receive government subsidy from opening them up to evacuees. They include Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties, tax-exempt bond financed properties and properties accepting Section 8 housing vouchers. Without these waivers, these properties have limits on the types and the sizes of households that can live in them. They require verification of household income, security deposits, minimum rent payments and specialized leases, and most prohibit short-term rental periods. We notified Congress of the need to waive these requirements back on September 1, yet legislation still has not passed.” “By placing these people into apartments, they could enroll their students into schools, find medical care for their families, and seek employment,” said Culkin. “In other words, they could get on with picking up the pieces of their lives. To extend programs that will simply prolong their state of homelessness makes no sense. It is particularly counterproductive when you consider the lengths to which apartment firms have gone to welcome the evacuees. Many are donating low- and no-cost apartments, waiving application fees and offering short-term leases.” “We urge FEMA, Congress and the Departments of Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development and Treasury to rework their housing strategy and to implement the program waivers needed so additional housing units can be made available to these evacuees,” added Arbury. “Please don’t let another day go by leaving an evacuee wondering where he or she will sleep tonight.” Related Content: Additional information on the apartment industry’s response to Hurricane Katrina is available Here: NAA/NMHC Letter to HUD and Homeland Security Open Letter to FEMA, Congress and the Departments of Homeland Security, Treasury and Housing and Urban Development.
NMHC and NAA operate a Joint Legislative Program and represent the nation’s leading firms participating in the multifamily rental housing industry. NMHC/NAA’s combined memberships are engaged in all aspects of the development and operation of apartment communities, including ownership, construction, finance and management. Together, the organizations operate a federal legislative program and provide a unified voice for the private apartment industry. Nearly one-third of Americans rent their housing, and almost 15 percent of all U.S. households live in an apartment home. For more information, contact NAA at 703-518-6141, e-mail NAA at info@naahq.org, or visit NAA’s web site at www.naahq.org .
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